Dito van Reigersberg, Co-Founder of Philadelphia's Pig Iron Theatre Company, Dies at 53

Philadelphia’s Pig Iron Theatre Company has announced the death of its cofounder and artistic director emeritus, Dito van Reigersberg, at the age of 53.

A performer, educator, and an influential cultural figure in Philadelphia’s artistic scene, van Reigersberg was most widely known by his drag alter ego, Martha Graham Cracker, having performed around the world.

Van Reigersberg co-founded Pig Iron with Dan Rothenberg, Quinn Bauriedel, and Suli Holum in 1995 and appeared in nearly every one of the theater’s productions throughout the company’s history. He helped transform the organization from an ensemble of young artists into one of the country’s most respected experimental theater companies, creating and performing in works like the Obie-winning Chekhov Lizardbrain.

He was nominated for a Barrymore Award for playing Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and a Helen Hayes Award for starring in Hell Meets Henry Halfway. He earned Barrymores for Best Ensemble for Mission to Mercury and Best Choreography for Cafeteria. Van Reigersberg received a

In 2021, van Reigersberg was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, which was treated with chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, complications of which eventually led to his passing. In between, he created and performed in the show Poor Judge, marked the 20th anniversary of his Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret, and received a 2026 Lucille Lortel Award for being part of the ensemble of Heather Christian’s Oratorio for Living Things, which ran at Signature Theatre off-Broadway last year.